If you want your blog to appear in a subdomain of your site create the subdomain now. If your blog is going to be in your root folder just create the database as described below.

Select MySQL Databases

Scroll to the Add DB box and enter a data base name for your blog. This can be something like "myblog" or what ever you wish and click the "Add db" button to create the file.

Now scroll down to add a user. Add a user name and password that you will remember or write it down, you will need it later. Then click the "Add User" button to add the user.

Now scroll to the check boxes section and select "All". In the drop down above the check boxes select the user and database you just created above. Now tap the "Add User to Db" to add the user to the data base.

Now using an FTP program log into your web server and change into the folder where your blog is going to reside. If it's in the root of your web space go into the "public_html" folder. If it's going to be in a subdomain go into the "public_html/subdomain-folder".

Upload all the files and folders to the web server. Once all files have been copied make sure they are all on the server.

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ACCESSING WORDPRESS

If you are installing to your root folder open your web browser and enter the following:
http://yoursite.ext/wp-admin/install.php to start the installation.

If you are installing to subdomain folder open your web browser and enter the following:
http://yoursite.ext/subdomain/wp-admin/install.php to start the installation.

Go through the steps presented. If you receive any errors you entered something wrong in the wp-config.php file. If all goes well you will be given a password to log into your new blog. WRITE IT DOWN!!! You will need it to get into your blog the first time.

The install will then send you to the login page. Enter "admin" for the user name and enter the password you wrote down previously and log in.

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MODIFYING YOUR PREFERENCES

Once you are logged in go to the Profiles page and fill out the information. Enter a nickname, this will be displayed when you create new posts. You should also change the password here now to something you can remember. Then click Update Profile.

Now select Options and configure your blog. Go through all of the options (General, Writing, Reading, Miscellaneous and Permalinks). Remember to select Update Options at the bottom of each page to get them to stick.

Next set up your links and categories. If you want to allow others to post content to your blog you can add them using the Users function.

ESSENTIAL PLUGINS

Before you go any further I recommend that you install at least two plugins. One is the WP Plugin manager which allows you to do one click installs for the other plugins. The other is Dr Dave's Spam Karma which will keep comment spam to a minimum.

Installing the plugin manager is simple. Download it and copy the "wp-plugin-mgr.php" file to the root folder of your blog. The same folder that contains the index.php file. Once you upload it point your browser to it.

If you installed to your root folder enter the following:
http://yoursite.ext/wp-plugin-mgr.php

If you installed to a sub folder or subdomain enter the following:
http://yoursite.ext/subdomain-or-subfolder/wp-plugin-mgr.php

Now scroll down the list until you find the Spam Karma plugin, click on the title to expand the description then click the "One Click Install" button. After it installs you will be prompted to configure it. Go ahead and do that.

Now log back into Wordpress and select Plugins. You should see Spam Karma and the WP Plugin Manager listed. They are not activated yet, so activate them now.

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DEFINE YOUR STYLE

Almost there. You can start blogging right now if you wish but I am sure you will want to change the look of the blog. There are only two files that you need to edit.

index.php controls the content. The link below is well documented document to show you the layout of this page:
http://weblogtoolscollection.com/b2-img/index.phps

wp-layout.css controls how the content is displayed and you can read how it's arranged here:
http://blog.nuclearmoose.com/wp-docs/wp-layout-explained.htm

A great tutorial for modifying the wp-layout.css file can be found here:
http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/graphicalcss/

Just edit those two files to your liking and you are done.

Oh if you are currently blogging you can probably import your current blog entries into Wordpress. You can get the instructions you need here:
http://wiki.wordpress.org/?pagename=ImportBlog